
Food is a huge part of any visit to Paris, but there are so many great restaurants it can be daunting making a choice. These are my favourite Paris restaurants so far. The list will be frequently updated as I discover new places and revisit others.
Please note that none of these reviews has been requested nor incentivised. My husband and I paid for our own meals and drinks.
Want to know more about things to see and do in Paris and get tips for your visit? Check out my latest article here.
Favourite Paris Restaurants for Breakfast
Les Deux Magots
I really enjoy visiting here, not least of all for its literary history. Simone de Beauvoir, Picasso, Jean Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway – even Julia Child – were frequent visitors to Les Deux Magots and the cafe has been used as a location in many books, movies and television series. Les Deux Magots is also famous for its hot chocolate, which some say is the best in Paris. I tasted it recently and it is like melted chocolate in a cup – a huge treat. I am not sure I could drink a whole cup full though, but that is just me!
The first time we visited, we just enjoyed an aperitif, but over the years Les Deux Magot has become one of my favourite places for breakfast in Paris. I choose “Le Complet” which includes a hot drink (this can be the aforementioned hot chocolate if you wish, but I enjoy their café au lait), a pastry (usually a croissant) and tartine (French bread served with butter and jam). At 22 Euro it is not a frugal breakfast, but the quality is excellent and the restaurant is famous. There are lots of other options should you wish something a bit more substantial, but this is definitely one of my favourite Parisian breakfasts.
Please note that Les Deux Magots is closed for renovations until 10th March 2025.
The Café de la Paix in The Intercontinental Hotel Le Grand
This beautiful historic restaurant (pictured above) offers a fabulous buffet that seems to stretch on for miles. From eggs and bacon to smoked salmon and cold cuts to congee, there really is something for everyone. Service is attentive and efficient in this former haunt of Sarah Bernhardt, Ernest Hemingway and Marcel Proust, and the pastries are amazing. If you enjoy a late breakfast, you may not need any lunch!
Favourite Paris Restaurants for Lunch and Afternoon Tea
Bistro Marbeauf
Located In Rue Marbeauf 75008, this traditional French bistro offers delicious comfort food in a convivial atmosphere. The staff were very friendly and the service was great. Both my Caesar salad with chicken and my husband’s burger were excellent.
L’ Entrecote de Paris, Champs-Elysées
One of the favourite Paris restaurants of my husband since he dined there during his university days, L’Entrecote serves a delicious set menu of salad followed by steak with a special sauce and all the fries you can eat. Although the price has increased over the years, it still represents really good value for money. We always eat here at least once when visiting Paris.
Le Verièrre in The Intercontinental Le Grand
This elegant restaurant is located in a glass-roofed, conservatory-like green space in the heart of the hotel. There are palm trees everywhere. We had drinks, a delicious club sandwich (me), a burger (my husband) and shared a pastry. This is a great place to linger over afternoon tea or cocktails.
The Restaurant in The Musée d’Orsay
Offering a variety of lunch options from delicious salads to more substantial meals, the restaurant in the Musée d’Orsay (pictured above) is a popular choice with museum goers. I was so impressed by the friendly service and excellent food and as you can see above, the surroundings are just gorgeous. Look at that ceiling!
I had a chicken Caesar salad which was fresh, crunchy and very delicious. Reservations are not available so there is a queuing system in place. Despite the fact the queue was quite long when we joined it, it seemed to move very quickly when we were there. The restaurant opens at 11.45am most days, so it might be worth planning an early lunch. They also offer an afternoon tea service, and dinner on Thursday evenings (at time of writing, please check before visiting).
Please note that the restaurant in the Musée d’Orsay is closed until 3rd March 2025 for refurbishment.
Café Pierre Hermé Pont d’Alma
My husband and I shared a giant pistachio macaron and enjoyed a rose iced tea at this riverside café. We sat outside overlooking the Seine. The only downside was the pigeons, but everything was so delicious it was worth it! There are many branches of this chain of cafés throughout the city.
Favourite Paris Restaurants For Dinner
Brasserie Fouquet’s
This iconic restaurant has been part of the local scene on the Champs-Elysées since 1899 and is one of our family’s favourite restaurants. It is perfect for special occasions, most recently our son’s birthday this year (2025). There’s a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, friendly service, and absolutely delicious food. It is a splurge, but in our experience it is worth every centime! That said, they a wonderful club sandwich most lunchtimes or you can just pop in for one of their famous mille-feuille pastries and a cup of coffee mid-afternoon. It is important to make a reservation if you want to be sure of a getting a table though.
Drouant
Located at 16 Rue de Gaillon, 75002, this elegant yet unpretentious restaurant is such a treat. Again, it is a splurge but the food is absolutely outstanding. The Colette salad starter with King Crab is scrumptious and the serving generous enough my husband and I shared it on our second visit. I was nervous about asking to share but the waiter was more than happy – in fact the kitchen actually sent out two individual plates of salad to make it easy for us to share equitably! The main courses at Drouant are excellent too; I had a wonderful steak on our first visit and enjoyed fish on the second. The sommelier is friendly and knowledgeable and there are good wines at lots of different price points on the list.
La Lorraine
Another family favourite, my husband first came here in the 1980’s with his family. La Lorraine specialise in seafood, and I personally think they serve the best Sole Meunière anywhere. There is also a good selection of poultry and meat if you prefer. If you like leeks and want a starter, the Roasted Leeks Mimosa are excellent. There is often a soufflé on offer for dessert or try their Îsles Flottantes, soft meringues floating in a crême anglaise custard, a favourite of my late father-in-law.
There are no prices on the website and this is what I would consider an expensive restaurant, but the quality is excellent. The Sole Meunière is one of the most expensive dishes at around 60 Euro but there are other less costly options and you can just have one course if you prefer. Again, I feel it is worth the splurge, especially if you love seafood. You can find La Lorraine at 2 Place des Ternes in the 8th arrondissement.
Bakus
We celebrated a family birthday at Bakus at 2 Rue des Cappuccinos in the first arrondissement in January 2025. It was a wonderful evening. We shared an assiette de fromage (cheese plate) with homemade chutney and some hummus and crusty bread to start, followed by individual main courses which were all very enjoyable. I can personally recommend their homemade pasta. My husband and son shared their speciality pork loin dish and highly recommend it, and our son’s partner Hannah praised the roasted chicken she ordered. The staff handled our table’s dietary requirements – a dairy and nut allergy – sensitively and efficiently.
Disclaimer: This post contains my honest opinions and the advice I give to friends. None of our experiences were gifted and we paid all our own expenses. Information is correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing and I accept no responsibility for, nor can I be held liable for, your experience at any of these venues. Most of the restaurants mentioned will need to be booked in advance. To avoid disappointment, be sure to visit restaurant websites for opening times, their full terms and conditions, and to check prices, availability and payment terms.
Comments & Reviews
Thanks for the tips. I will save this guide.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Patrick. Thank you for saving it!
Oh my April, I’ve got to tell you that I just love food! Okay, so I’m a bit fluffy around my middle, Lol. I appreciate your reviews as these sound fantastic!
I love food too, Paula, and I am so glad you enjoyed this post!
I was so disappointed; we went to Paris in my senior year of high school and we ate at some really cheap places with our tour group. Other than our delicious pastry breakfasts we didn’t really eat anything worth writing home about. I just remember lots of gristly meat and mystery sauces… I’m sure it had to do with keeping everything economical but I have always wanted to go back and eat at some nice restaurants.
Oh Joanne, I am sorry you had that experience of Paris!
I do understand though. We stayed at a university residence on my first visit to Paris when I was 16 and the food was not good at all. However we also ate at some nicer places.
I do hope you are able to visit Paris again soon and really immerse yourself in their wonderful food and culture.